Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Full Mobilization”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan provokes the Sea King Race chief by casually suggesting that he leave his own territory. Though irritated, the chief ultimately departs after realizing Chen Changan is deliberately ignoring him.
• Chen urges everyone in the Heavenly Palace Secret Realm to cultivate urgently, warning that powerful enemies may arrive at any time.
• Guan Ao admits that cultivation is pointless for him because he cannot reach the Hongmeng Dominion Realm. Chen tells him to occupy himself however he wishes.
• The entire Heavenly Derivation Continent enters a state of mobilization. The various races, including the Chen Family, begin searching for Chen Changan and the entrance to the Heavenly Palace Secret Realm.
• Chen Tianxing feels guilty and useless because he cannot aid his master. His grandfather reassures him that the enemies are simply far beyond his current level and urges him to focus on growing stronger.
• The search continues for decades and eventually centuries. The searchers debate whether Chen Changan has already left the continent, but the Holy Spirit Clan insists that anyone leaving would have been detected.
• Concluding that Chen Changan must still be inside the Heavenly Palace Secret Realm, the searchers change tactics. They begin lingering at suspicious locations in case the realm’s entrance appears only intermittently.
• After several hundred years, they finally discover the entrance and enter the realm together.
• Inside, they find traces of powerful auras and evidence that many people had previously occupied the area. They infer that Chen Changan likely learned of the realm from the Sacred Shaman Clan, but the lingering traces suggest that he and the others left some time ago—possibly moving deeper inside.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan remains confident, irreverent, and shamelessly provocative, even when dealing with powerful figures such as the Sea King Race chief. At the same time, he demonstrates leadership by organizing everyone’s cultivation and preparing them for imminent danger.
• The Sea King Race chief becomes increasingly frustrated by Chen Changan’s disrespect but recognizes that arguing with him is futile and withdraws.
• Guan Ao reveals his sense of helplessness, believing that his cultivation can no longer improve meaningfully. Chen’s response allows him freedom rather than placing further pressure on him.
• Chen Tianxing struggles with guilt over being unable to help his master. His grandfather helps him understand that his weakness is a matter of limited time and experience, not personal worthlessness.
• The searching factions grow increasingly impatient and exhausted after centuries of fruitless investigation, but their determination ultimately leads them to the secret realm.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and survival: Chen’s command to cultivate reflects the need to become stronger before the inevitable confrontation.
• Helplessness versus growth: Chen Tianxing’s guilt highlights the pain of being unable to protect someone important, while his grandfather emphasizes patience and continued development.
• Persistence and endurance: The searchers spend centuries pursuing Chen Changan, showing how obsession and determination can sustain a seemingly impossible effort.
• Deception and hidden refuge: The Heavenly Palace Secret Realm remains concealed despite extensive searches, reinforcing the value of secrecy and strategic concealment.
• Humor amid danger: Chen Changan’s crude teasing and defiance provide comic relief while also revealing his fearless, unconventional personality.
• Uncertainty: Even after finding the realm, the searchers do not know where Chen Changan has gone, preserving the mystery and tension.

Character Interactions

• Chen Changan and the Sea King Race chief exchange hostile, sarcastic remarks over control of the chief’s territory.
• Chen directs the people in the secret realm to cultivate, while Guan Ao challenges the usefulness of doing so.
• Chen Tianxing confides his self-doubt to his grandfather, who responds with reassurance and practical advice.
• The various races argue over whether Chen Changan escaped the continent and whether the Holy Spirit Clan properly monitored possible exits.
• After finding the secret realm, the searchers collectively analyze the remaining auras and speculate about Chen Changan’s connection to the Sacred Shaman Clan and his possible location deeper within the realm.

Chapter Summary:

Hongmeng Emperor Venerable Realm

Key Plot Points and Events

• A powerful group of experts from the Ten Sacred Clans enters the Heavenly Palace Secret Realm. Their main goals are to find Chen Changan and uncover Primordial Heaven’s greatest secret, possibly obtaining a method to break through to the legendary Hongmeng Dominion Realm.
• Chen Changan and his companions have used their time in the secret realm to advance rapidly:
  • Chen Changan reaches the First-Tier Primordial Emperor Venerable Realm.
  • Mu Yunyao and Da Huang reach the Third-Tier.
  • Wang Ba reaches the Fifth-Tier.
• The Sacred Shaman Clan’s cultivation also improves dramatically, apparently because of their connection to Chen Changan and the fortune surrounding him.
• The invading experts become trapped on the Cloud Ladder. Although they initially believe they can easily cross it, months pass without them discovering its secret.
• Chen Changan and his companions wait for their enemies to arrive, confident that the Cloud Ladder will delay them.
• Concerned that the Sacred Shaman Clan will be unable to contribute meaningfully in the coming battle, Chen Changan orders Gong Xu and Huo Yao to retreat with their people to the Sea King Race’s territory.
• Though reluctant and ashamed to withdraw, Gong Xu accepts Chen Changan’s decision, recognizing that their weaker cultivation could force Chen Changan to divide his attention during the battle.
• The chapter ends with the Sacred Shaman Clan leaving for safety while Chen Changan prepares to turn the Undersea Tomb into a graveyard for the approaching enemies.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan becomes stronger and more strategically decisive. He remains calm despite the arrival of numerous powerful enemies and prioritizes victory by removing weaker allies from danger.
• Da Huang grows significantly more confident after reaching the Third-Tier Primordial Emperor Venerable Realm. His earlier fear of the Cloud Ladder is replaced by eagerness to face the enemy.
• Wang Ba surprises even himself with his rapid advancement to the Fifth-Tier realm.
• Guan Ao becomes increasingly hopeful about his own future after Da Huang suggests that following Chen Changan may eventually give him a chance to reach the Hongmeng Dominion Realm.
• Gong Xu and Huo Yao display loyalty and responsibility. Although they initially resist retreating, they accept that their current strength could make them a burden and trust Chen Changan’s judgment.
• The Sacred Shaman Clan grows stronger through its connection with Chen Changan but remains conscious of the gap between its strength and that of the incoming ancient races.

Significant Themes

• Fortune and destiny: Chen Changan’s allies benefit from their connection to him, suggesting that power and opportunity are linked to fate and shared fortune.
• Rapid growth and transcendence: Nearly every major character is advancing toward higher realms, emphasizing the pursuit of the Hongmeng Dominion Realm as the central ambition of the powerful factions.
• Confidence versus arrogance: The invading experts assume their strength will allow them to overcome the Cloud Ladder, but their prolonged entrapment exposes the danger of underestimating the secret realm.
• Strategic sacrifice and leadership: Chen Changan’s decision to send the Sacred Shaman Clan away demonstrates that protecting allies sometimes requires separating them from the main conflict.
• Powerlessness and loyalty: Gong Xu and Huo Yao feel ashamed of their inability to help, but their willingness to obey Chen Changan shows their trust and loyalty.
• The hidden dangers of the Heavenly Palace Secret Realm: The Cloud Ladder proves that the secret realm’s trials rely on mystery and understanding rather than sheer strength.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Changan and Guan Ao: Their exchange about intertwined fortunes gives Guan Ao hope that loyalty to Chen Changan may eventually lead to his own breakthrough.
• Da Huang and Guan Ao: Da Huang jokingly explains the advantages of being connected to Chen Changan while teasing Guan Ao about his limited cultivation potential.
• Da Huang and Huo Yao: Huo Yao questions Da Huang’s unusual confidence, while Da Huang insists that his new strength makes him unafraid of peak-level opponents.
• Chen Changan, Gong Xu, and Huo Yao: Chen Changan bluntly tells them to retreat because their weakness would distract him in battle. Though initially troubled, they ultimately accept his decision.
• Chen Changan and the approaching enemy forces: Their conflict has not yet begun, but Chen Changan’s cold anticipation and the final reference to the “Undersea Tomb” establish that he intends to confront the invading powers directly.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Skyfire Clan, Holy Spirit Clan, and other allied races confront Chen Changan, Guan Ao, Mu Yunyao, and their companions, vastly underestimating them because they are outnumbered.
• The Skyfire Clan patriarch accuses Guan Ao of killing their clansmen and arrogantly offers Chen Changan a chance to surrender in exchange for mercy.
• Chen Changan rejects their threats and attacks first. With a single sword strike, he kills the Holy Spirit Clan patriarch, instantly shocking and frightening the assembled enemies.
• The opposing forces launch a united assault, but their attacks cannot harm Chen Changan, while his strikes kill or gravely injure them.
• Mu Yunyao and the others join the battle, slaughtering the enemy forces from the opposite side.
• The surviving enemies beg for mercy and surrender, but Chen Changan refuses, arguing that they would never have spared him had the situation been reversed. He kills them all.
• After the battle, Guan Ao marvels at how quickly and completely Chen Changan’s side won. Chen Changan emphasizes that numbers are meaningless before overwhelming strength.
• Chen Changan declares that the conflict has transformed the balance of power in Primordial Heaven, but his real goal is to find the Shenshu Clan and challenge the sole Hongmeng Dominion Realm expert.
• Guan Ao expresses concern about whether Chen Changan’s abilities will remain effective against such a powerful opponent. Chen Changan remains determined, saying he must test himself sooner or later before moving on to Ultimate Heaven.
• Chen Changan and Guan Ao seek out the Sacred Shaman Clan so they can leave and help reorganize the Heavenly Derivation Continent. Upon seeing Chen Changan, the Sacred Shaman Clan and Sea King Race call him a “freak.”

Character Developments

• Chen Changan displays overwhelming confidence and ruthlessness. He proves that his power far exceeds the expectations of the enemy races and refuses to show mercy after they surrender.
• Guan Ao shifts from confidence in victory to astonishment at Chen Changan’s overwhelming strength. He also becomes curious and excited about traveling to Ultimate Heaven, though he worries about Chen Changan’s upcoming confrontation with a Hongmeng Dominion Realm expert.
• Mu Yunyao and the others demonstrate that they are also powerful combatants, contributing significantly to the massacre rather than merely relying on Chen Changan.
• The enemy leaders and warriors move rapidly from arrogance and contempt to panic, desperation, and helpless surrender once they realize Chen Changan cannot be harmed.

Significant Themes

• Strength over numbers: The chapter stresses that overwhelming power makes numerical superiority irrelevant; more enemies only prolong the time needed to defeat them.
• Consequences and retribution: Chen Changan refuses to spare enemies who came intending to kill him, insisting that their fate was decided when they chose to attack.
• Confidence versus arrogance: The enemy races mistake Chen Changan’s calmness for weakness, while Chen Changan’s confidence is validated by his effortless victory.
• Escalating power and ambition: Having defeated the gathered top experts, Chen Changan now seeks a greater challenge against the Hongmeng Dominion Realm expert and looks toward Ultimate Heaven.
• Changing political balance: The defeat of the allied races signals that Primordial Heaven’s power structure has fundamentally changed.

Character Interactions

• The Skyfire Clan patriarch confronts Guan Ao and threatens Chen Changan, attempting to force surrender through intimidation.
• Chen Changan verbally challenges the enemy’s assumption of victory before decisively killing the Holy Spirit Clan patriarch.
• The enemy forces plead with Chen Changan to stop, but he rejects their appeals and reminds them that they would not have shown mercy to him.
• Guan Ao praises Chen Changan’s victory and questions whether he is prepared to face the Hongmeng Dominion Realm expert.
• Chen Changan encourages Guan Ao to work hard if he hopes to accompany him to Ultimate Heaven.
• The Sacred Shaman Clan and Sea King Race react to Chen Changan with shock and describe him as an unnatural “freak.”

Chapter Summary: “At Last, the Shenshu Clan”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan and his allies quickly defeat their latest enemies, demonstrating overwhelming, absolute superiority. Their victory confirms how far Chen Changan’s strength has advanced.
• Chen tells Gong Xu and the Sacred Shaman Clan to return to the Heavenly Derivation Continent and rebuild their former positions through their own efforts. Gong Xu asks how they can repay him, but Chen explains that helping them also served his own interests.
• Gong Xu and the Sacred Shaman Clan respectfully bid farewell and depart, likely ending their current journey with Chen.
• The Sea King Race Patriarch questions Chen’s decision to confront the Shenshu Clan. Chen confirms that he intends to reach them and eventually find a way to enter Ultimate Heaven. The patriarch wishes him success and asks him to greet Chen Ao if they meet.
• Chen and his companions proceed through the Heavenly Palace Secret Realm toward the Shenshu Clan’s territory. The journey is strangely peaceful, despite warnings that the path would be dangerous.
• Chen suspects the Shenshu Clan—or the mysterious figure who can observe everything within the secret realm—may be deliberately allowing them to advance. Guan Ao wonders why they are not simply transported directly to the clan, but Chen suggests asking the mysterious figure in person.
• Da Huang asks about the secret guarded by the Shenshu Clan and whether it caused the ancient upheaval in Primordial Heaven. Chen believes this is highly likely and expects the truth to be revealed once they reach the clan.
• Upon passing through another entrance, Chen and the others discover that the Shenshu Clan lives in a surprisingly plain village rather than a grand or luxurious settlement.
• A clan member warmly welcomes them, explaining that the Clan Chief personally ordered their reception. The Shenshu Clan’s former hostility toward outsiders has apparently faded over time.
• The visitors observe that the clan is extraordinarily powerful: most of its members have reached the Hongmeng Emperor Venerable Realm, and even peak-level experts behave like ordinary villagers.
• Chen and his companions are brought to the Clan Chief’s simple wooden home. The Chief appears completely ordinary and emotionless, yet his presence causes unease, especially in Guan Ao.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan: His effortless victory reinforces his overwhelming strength and growing confidence. He remains calm and pragmatic, viewing his assistance to the Sacred Shaman Clan as mutually beneficial rather than an act requiring gratitude. He is determined to confront the Shenshu Clan and pursue a path toward Ultimate Heaven.
• Gong Xu: He expresses sincere gratitude and reluctance at parting with Chen. His respectful farewell shows that he recognizes Chen as both a powerful benefactor and an important figure in his clan’s future.
• Guan Ao: He shifts between fear, excitement, and amazement. The peaceful journey makes him suspicious, while the Shenshu Clan’s terrifying strength leaves him deeply impressed and intimidated. His anxiety increases upon meeting the seemingly ordinary Clan Chief.
• Da Huang: He remains curious about the Shenshu Clan’s hidden secret and its possible connection to the ancient Primordial Heaven upheaval.
• Sea King Race Patriarch: He acts as a cautious well-wisher, warning Chen about the difficult road ahead while acknowledging Chen’s current strength.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power hidden beneath simplicity: The Shenshu Clan’s village and lifestyle appear ordinary, but nearly all its inhabitants possess astonishing cultivation. Their simplicity emphasizes that true strength does not require outward grandeur.
• The mystery of the guarded secret: The possible connection between the Shenshu Clan and the upheaval in Primordial Heaven raises the stakes and suggests that a major revelation is imminent.
• Departure and independent paths: Chen encourages Gong Xu to pursue his own goals rather than remain indebted, highlighting themes of personal responsibility and moving forward after receiving help.
• Uncertainty and controlled fate: The unnaturally smooth road suggests that someone within the secret realm is manipulating events, possibly guiding Chen and his companions toward the Shenshu Clan for an unknown purpose.
• Calm after ancient conflict: The Shenshu Clan’s former hostility toward outsiders has diminished, suggesting that time has softened old grievances—but their immense power still makes the encounter dangerous.

Character Interactions

• Chen and Gong Xu share a respectful farewell, with Chen rejecting excessive gratitude and urging Gong Xu to rebuild the Sacred Shaman Clan.
• Chen speaks with the Sea King Race Patriarch about confronting the Shenshu Clan and promises to deliver greetings to Chen Ao.
• Guan Ao repeatedly questions the strange peacefulness of the journey and the motives of the mysterious observer, while Chen responds with calm speculation.
• Da Huang and Chen discuss the Shenshu Clan’s secret and its potential role in ancient history.
• The welcoming Shenshu Clan member reassures Chen that the clan no longer bears hostility toward outsiders, though the Clan Chief’s silent presence creates immediate tension and apprehension.

Chapter Summary: The Secret They Guard

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan and his companions finally meet the Shenshu Clan chief. Guan Ao and Wang Ba are visibly intimidated by the chief’s presence, while Chen Changan, Da Huang, and the others remain calm.
• The chief explains that few outsiders have reached the Shenshu Clan. Previous intruders were unqualified and attempted to seize the clan’s secret by force.
• During the past upheaval in Primordial Heaven, the Shenshu Clan suppressed the chaos. The conflict was connected to the secret they guard, which many powerful figures sought out of greed.
• The chief clarifies that the “secret” is not forbidden knowledge. Anyone who passes the clan’s trials and arrives honorably may learn it.
• Earlier visitors did learn the secret, but they eventually left Primordial Heaven, which is why the knowledge never spread. The chief confirms that he did not force them to remain silent.
• Da Huang correctly guesses that the secret concerns the Hongmeng Dominion Realm and Ultimate Heaven.
• The chief reveals two major truths:
  1. Primordial Heaven cannot produce a Hongmeng Dominion Realm expert.
  2. The Shenshu Clan guards a passage leading to Ultimate Heaven. Within this passage, cultivators can break through to the Hongmeng Dominion Realm, and several such experts may already exist there.
• The chief admits that the passage is extremely dangerous and that most people who entered through it may never have reached Ultimate Heaven. He also does not know exactly where the existing experts came from or how long they have been inside.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan remains composed and perceptive, questioning the chief closely and identifying inconsistencies in the explanation about the passage and the number of experts within it.
• Guan Ao and Wang Ba display fear and caution in the presence of the chief, suggesting that they are strongly affected by his overwhelming power.
• Da Huang proves surprisingly insightful, correctly deducing the connection between the secret, Ultimate Heaven, and the Hongmeng Dominion Realm. His carefree attitude also contrasts with the seriousness of the revelation.
• The Shenshu Clan chief is established as an immensely powerful and confident Hongmeng Dominion Realm expert. Although domineering toward past intruders, he is willing to explain the truth to those who arrive properly.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge versus greed: The secret could be learned by those who approached honorably, but past powers tried to seize it through force, leading to conflict.
• Limits of power and advancement: Primordial Heaven has an inherent limit, as it cannot produce Hongmeng Dominion Realm experts on its own.
• The unknown beyond one’s world: Ultimate Heaven and the passage toward it represent a dangerous higher realm filled with mysteries even the Shenshu chief cannot fully explain.
• Worthiness and trials: Access to the truth depends on passing the proper trials rather than simply possessing strength or ambition.
• Humility before the unknown: Despite his vast power, the chief admits that he lacks complete knowledge of the passage and its inhabitants.

Character Interactions

• Chen Changan respectfully but persistently interrogates the chief about the past upheaval, earlier visitors, and the nature of the secret.
• The chief responds confidently, revealing the Shenshu Clan’s role as guardian and its overwhelming superiority over the forces of Primordial Heaven.
• Da Huang lightens the tense conversation by teasingly presenting his deduction, while the chief humorously mocks Da Huang’s identity as a qilin living as a dog and enjoying brothels.
• Guan Ao and Wang Ba react nervously to the chief’s revelations, particularly the possibility that learning the secret may come with a price, though no such price is mentioned.

Chapter Summary: “Ascension Road”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan learns from the Shenshu Clan’s patriarch that reaching Ultimate Heaven requires traveling through a mysterious route known as the Ascension Road.
• The road is not an ordinary passage but a powerful trial containing unknown dangers, possibly including Hongmeng Dominion Realm experts.
• The patriarch explains that the Shenshu Clan is only the current guardian of the entrance. Other races once guarded similar entrances across the Twelve Star Domains, but those former guardian races disappeared from Primordial Heaven after their duties ended.
• Chen Changan suspects that the former guardians may have been sent into the Ascension Road and wonders whether they could eventually reach Ultimate Heaven.
• The identity of the being who established the guardian system remains unknown. This figure is immensely powerful, has never appeared in person, and may or may not be connected to the forces opposing Chen Changan—or even to his mysterious father.
• Chen Changan, Guan Ao, Wang Ba, Mu Yunyao, and Da Huang enter the Ascension Road.
• Immediately upon entering, they experience intense suppression. Their strength is greatly reduced:
  • Guan Ao can use roughly 50 percent of his power.
  • Wang Ba can use around 40 percent.
  • Mu Yunyao and Da Huang can use about 70 percent.
  • Chen Changan remains capable of using approximately 90 percent.
• Despite the danger and their lack of knowledge about the road, Chen Changan decides they should continue forward, treating the oppressive environment as an opportunity for cultivation.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan becomes increasingly curious about the origins and purpose of the Ascension Road. He carefully investigates its history, the guardian races, and the hidden power behind it. Although cautious, he remains confident and decisive, choosing to advance rather than hesitate.
• Wang Ba demonstrates strong loyalty to Chen Changan and determination to reunite with his master. He willingly accepts the dangers of the road.
• Guan Ao reveals his long-standing ambition to reach the Hongmeng Dominion Realm. The possibility of entering Ultimate Heaven strengthens his resolve to accompany Chen Changan.
• Mu Yunyao and Da Huang remain cautious but committed, enduring the suppression and moving forward with the group.
• The Shenshu Clan’s patriarch is established as a knowledgeable but limited source of information. He guarded the entrance but never truly explored the road, having only broken through at its outer edge.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of higher realms: The Ascension Road represents the difficult journey toward Ultimate Heaven and greater power.
• Mystery and hidden manipulation: The origins of the road, the guardian system, and the unseen figure controlling them remain unresolved, suggesting a larger cosmic design.
• Courage in the face of uncertainty: The group enters a dangerous and unfamiliar place without knowing what awaits them.
• Growth through adversity: Chen Changan views the road’s suppression not only as a threat but also as a valuable cultivation opportunity.
• Loyalty and shared ambition: Wang Ba and Guan Ao choose to continue because of personal loyalty and their dreams of reaching greater heights.

Character Interactions

• Chen Changan repeatedly questions the patriarch to uncover the secrets of the Ascension Road and the guardians.
• He gives Guan Ao and Wang Ba an opportunity to reconsider joining him, warning them that the road and Ultimate Heaven may be extremely dangerous.
• Wang Ba responds with unwavering loyalty, while Guan Ao accepts the risk in pursuit of the Hongmeng Dominion Realm.
• After entering the road, Chen Changan assesses everyone’s level of suppression and takes command of the group.
• He ultimately orders them to keep moving, framing the journey as both a dangerous trial and a chance to strengthen themselves.

Chapter Summary: The Ascension Road Was Indeed Hard to Traverse

Key Plot Points and Events

• After traveling for half a month along the Ascension Road, Guan Ao and Wang Ba reach their physical limits under the road’s increasingly powerful oppressive force.
• Chen Changan advises them to stop and cultivate using the abundant natural energy surrounding them. Guan Ao breaks through to the Hongmeng Dominion Realm, while Wang Ba reaches the Peak Primordial Emperor Venerable Realm.
• Chen Changan, Mu Yunyao, and Da Huang also cultivate rather than risk becoming separated or encountering danger alone.
• Several decades of cultivation produce rapid advances:
  • Chen Changan reaches the Fifth-Tier Primordial Emperor Venerable Realm.
  • Mu Yunyao and Da Huang reach the Seventh-Tier Primordial Emperor Venerable Realm.
• Despite everyone’s breakthroughs, the oppressive force does not weaken. Instead, it intensifies as their cultivation rises. Chen Changan concludes that the Ascension Road deliberately forces travelers to endure increasing pressure while advancing.
• After another month of travel, they reach what appears to be the end of the current road. Chen Changan realizes this cannot be the true end of the Ascension Road, especially since powerful Hongmeng Dominion Realm experts mentioned by the Shenshu Clan patriarch have not yet appeared.
• Guan Ao and Wang Ba are too exhausted to continue, so the group stops to cultivate again. Chen Changan specifically aims to break through to the Hongmeng Dominion Realm before proceeding, wanting enough strength to protect Mu Yunyao and the others.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan becomes increasingly cautious and protective. Though he is not afraid of death, he prioritizes gaining enough power to safeguard his companions before entering the unknown regions ahead.
• Guan Ao successfully reaches the Hongmeng Dominion Realm and demonstrates a clearer understanding of the Ascension Road’s relationship to the laws of Primordial Heaven and Ultimate Heaven.
• Wang Ba makes a major breakthrough but remains severely affected by the road’s oppression, revealing that cultivation growth does not necessarily make the journey easier.
• Mu Yunyao and Da Huang advance rapidly to the Seventh-Tier Primordial Emperor Venerable Realm. Da Huang remains energetic and teasing despite the difficult conditions.
• The group as a whole grows stronger but also realizes that advancement brings greater burdens rather than relief.

Significant Themes

• Progress through hardship: The Ascension Road rewards cultivation but simultaneously increases the pressure placed on travelers.
• Limits of strength: Even major breakthroughs do not eliminate exhaustion or danger; survival depends on both cultivation and endurance.
• The unknown nature of ascension: The road is far larger and more complex than expected, and reaching its apparent end does not mean reaching Ultimate Heaven.
• Responsibility and protection: Chen Changan’s main motivation is not merely personal advancement but ensuring that his companions can survive what lies ahead.
• Freedom from former restrictions: The road connects Primordial Heaven and Ultimate Heaven, allowing cultivators to surpass the limitations imposed by Primordial Heaven’s laws.

Character Interactions

• Chen Changan encourages Guan Ao and Wang Ba to stop and cultivate when they can no longer walk.
• He and Mu Yunyao discuss the mysterious size and structure of the Ascension Road, agreeing that increasing their strength is essential.
• Guan Ao explains why breakthroughs occur so quickly on the road: the cultivators are no longer restricted by Primordial Heaven’s laws, and the energy has likely been influenced by Ultimate Heaven.
• Da Huang questions the continued oppression after his breakthrough, prompting Chen Changan to identify the road’s central rule: greater strength brings greater pressure.
• Da Huang mockingly teases Guan Ao and Wang Ba for being unable to continue, while they respond that they are genuinely exhausted.
• Chen Changan ultimately agrees to another period of cultivation, emphasizing his role as the group’s leader and protector.

Chapter Summary: Battle Arena

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan, Mu Yunyao, and Da Huang continue cultivating with all available resources. Their progress is extraordinarily fast: all three nearly break through to the Hongmeng Dominion Realm simultaneously.
• Wang Ba also reaches the Hongmeng Dominion Realm, while Guan Ao approaches a breakthrough. Their progress, though slower than Chen Changan’s group, is still impressive.
• After advancing, the group continues along the Ascension Road and reaches what appears to be its endpoint. However, the road does not lead directly to Ultimate Heaven.
• Instead, they discover a massive structure called the Battle Arena, where several dozen Hongmeng Dominion Realm cultivators reside.
• The residents explain that the Battle Arena is the first trial of the Ascension Road. The newcomers must challenge one of them and win in order to proceed.
• The Battle Arena cultivators reveal that the Hongmeng Dominion Realm is divided into five stages—Early, Mid, Late, Peak, and Great Perfection—rather than nine tiers. All of the stationed opponents are in the Mid Hongmeng Dominion Realm.
• Wang Ba volunteers to fight first. Though his opponent is at a higher minor realm, Wang Ba quickly gains the upper hand and appears certain to win.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan demonstrates his monstrous cultivation talent by advancing from the Fifth-Tier Primordial Emperor Venerable Realm directly into the Hongmeng Dominion Realm. He remains curious, cautious, and confident as he investigates the Ascension Road.
• Mu Yunyao and Da Huang keep pace with Chen Changan, reinforcing their exceptional abilities and close connection to him.
• Wang Ba reaches the Hongmeng Dominion Realm and begins overcoming his insecurity about being a burden to the group. His dominant performance in the arena gives him growing confidence in his own strength.
• Guan Ao has not yet broken through but is close. He remains impressed by Chen Changan and supportive of Wang Ba.
• Da Huang and Guan Ao continue their humorous friendship, joking about finding a brothel in Ultimate Heaven. Their banter provides comic relief amid the cultivation and trial.
• The Battle Arena cultivators initially underestimate the newcomers, but Wang Ba’s performance forces them to take the group seriously.

Significant Themes

• Growth through confidence: Wang Ba’s strength increases as he realizes that his actual combat ability surpasses his opponent’s despite the difference in cultivation realm.
• The gap between cultivation and true power: The chapter emphasizes that realm superiority does not always determine victory; combat ability and experience can matter more.
• Trials on the path to ascension: Reaching the end of one section of the road does not mean the journey is complete. Advancement requires overcoming increasingly difficult tests.
• Companionship and support: Chen Changan’s group encourages one another, helping less confident members such as Wang Ba recognize their potential.
• Mystery of the Ascension Road: The purpose of the Battle Arena, the identity of those who established it, and the fate of defeated challengers remain unclear.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Changan questions Wang Ba and Guan Ao about their cultivation progress, prompting them to acknowledge how extraordinary Chen Changan, Mu Yunyao, and Da Huang are.
• Guan Ao and Da Huang exchange crude jokes about brothels, highlighting their playful, brotherly relationship.
• Chen Changan allows Wang Ba to challenge first, recognizing that the battle is important for Wang Ba’s confidence.
• During the fight, Chen Changan and Guan Ao observe that Wang Ba is no longer merely trying to keep up—he is asserting himself and overwhelming a stronger-ranked opponent.
• The Battle Arena residents shift from mocking and dismissing the newcomers to watching Wang Ba with seriousness and caution.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Ba wins his match and returns proudly to Chen Changan, who encourages him to trust in his own abilities.
• Guan Ao quickly defeats his opponent. Recognizing the overwhelming difference in strength, the opponent surrenders rather than continue an unwinnable fight.
• Da Huang challenges the same person who had previously spoken with him and defeats him instantly with a single paw strike, shocking the spectators.
• Although the arena insists that Da Huang must formally win a match to pass, Chen Changan and the others are allowed through without fighting because the arena’s participants believe they cannot defeat them.
• Da Huang angrily complains that the rules were applied unfairly to him, joking that he is the only one forced to follow the procedure.
• The arena’s inhabitants explain that defeated challengers may remain, cultivate, and attempt the trials again. However, they cannot say how far the Ascension Road extends or whether more fighting arenas lie ahead, since none of them have progressed farther.
• Chen Changan leads the group onward. They enter a new road bordered by dense forests, where the suppression is roughly twice as strong as before.
• The group realizes that the fighting arena was exempt from this suppression, which helped them win easily.
• Chen Changan interprets the Ascension Road as a training ground designed to force cultivators to surpass their limits and prepare for entry into Ultimate Heaven. He expects future trials to become increasingly difficult.
• As they proceed, Chen Changan senses that they are being watched from the forests. Da Huang also detects numerous unseen observers, creating a new sense of danger.

Character Developments

• Wang Ba gains confidence after his victory, supported by Chen Changan’s reminder that he is equal to anyone else and should not doubt himself.
• Guan Ao demonstrates overwhelming strength but is frustrated when his opponent surrenders before he can enjoy a proper battle.
• Da Huang proves to be extraordinarily powerful, defeating a Mid Hongmeng Dominion Realm opponent with one blow. His sarcastic, confrontational personality is also highlighted through his argument over the rules.
• Chen Changan continues to act as the group’s leader and mentor. He encourages Wang Ba, mediates Da Huang’s complaints, asks practical questions about the road, and analyzes the purpose of the trials.
• The arena participants, initially dismissive, become cautious and fearful after witnessing the group’s strength.

Significant Themes

• Self-confidence and overcoming insecurity: Chen Changan urges Wang Ba to believe in his own ability.
• Strength versus established expectations: Da Huang’s power contradicts the usual assumption that Early Hongmeng Dominion Realm cultivators should be dominated by those in the Mid Realm.
• Rules versus practicality: The arena insists on procedural fairness for Da Huang but makes an exception for Chen Changan and the others out of fear, exposing the limits and hypocrisy of rigid rules.
• Cultivation through adversity: The Ascension Road’s suppression is presented as a deliberate trial meant to push cultivators beyond their limits and prepare them for higher realms.
• Uncertainty and hidden danger: The group knows little about the road ahead, while unseen watchers in the forest suggest that more challenges—or enemies—are approaching.

Character Interactions

• Chen Changan warmly congratulates and encourages Wang Ba.
• Guan Ao’s opponent openly admits defeat, emphasizing the difference in their strength.
• Da Huang taunts and argues with his opponent, then complains to the arena officials about being treated differently from his companions.
• Chen Changan cuts off Da Huang’s protest and keeps the group moving.
• Wang Ba, Guan Ao, and Da Huang discuss the arena’s lack of suppression and the purpose of the Ascension Road.
• Da Huang warns Chen Changan that many unseen eyes are observing them, ending the chapter on a suspenseful note.

Chapter Summary: “Blood Nether Clan”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan and his companions sense that they are being watched while traveling through an unfamiliar, expansive region.
• Chen Changan and Mu Yunyao detect only one pair of eyes, while Da Huang, Wang Ba, and Guan Ao sense multiple observers. This suggests that different unknown beings may be targeting different members of the group.
• The group proceeds cautiously, suspecting that creatures other than cultivators from the Hongmeng Dominion Realm may inhabit the area.
• Wang Ba and Guan Ao become too exhausted to continue and remain behind to cultivate. Mu Yunyao and Da Huang also begin cultivating, while Chen Changan stays awake to protect them.
• Chen Changan confronts the hidden watchers and demands to know their intentions. After initially refusing to respond, they reveal that he should not have entered the area and that someone has ordered his death.
• Dozens of monsters emerge from the surrounding forests. They belong to the Blood Nether Clan and possess blue faces, fangs, red wings, and cultivation bases in the Hongmeng Dominion Realm.
• The Blood Nether Clan reveals its innate ability, Ultimate Corrosion, which is designed to weaken or destroy Chen Changan’s unusually powerful physical body.
• Chen Changan attacks before they can use their ability. Using the Red Dust Sword, he kills the clan members one by one with overwhelming speed and power.
• After interrogating the final survivor, Chen Changan learns that no other Blood Nether Clan members or ambushers remain along the road. He then kills the last enemy and returns to guard his companions while preparing to cultivate.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan: Demonstrates caution, leadership, and confidence. He prioritizes protecting his companions and refuses to let hidden enemies dictate the group’s progress. His combat ability proves far greater than the Blood Nether Clan anticipated; his swordsmanship defeats their strategy before they can activate their corrosive talent.
• Mu Yunyao: Shows strong perception by sensing the same single presence as Chen Changan. She understands his decision to remain as protector and cooperates without protest.
• Da Huang: Acts nervously and raises the possibility that unknown creatures inhabit the region. His differing perception highlights the mysterious nature of the threat.
• Wang Ba and Guan Ao: Their physical limits become apparent as they are forced to stop and cultivate. Their need for protection reinforces Chen Changan’s role as the group’s guardian.
• Blood Nether Clan: Initially confident because they have prepared specifically to counter Chen Changan’s physical body, but their confidence collapses once Chen Changan attacks before they can use Ultimate Corrosion.

Significant Themes

• Hidden danger and uncertainty: The group is constantly watched by unseen forces, creating suspense and suggesting that the ambush is part of a larger scheme.
• Preparation versus overwhelming strength: The Blood Nether Clan has prepared a specialized ability to counter Chen Changan, but preparation is useless when they cannot create an opportunity to use it.
• Leadership and protection: Chen Changan accepts responsibility for the group, allowing everyone else to cultivate while he stands guard.
• Underestimation and misplaced confidence: The enemies focus too heavily on Chen Changan’s physical body and fail to account for his speed, swordsmanship, and overall combat power.
• A continuing conspiracy: The Blood Nether Clan’s claim that someone wants Chen Changan dead confirms that a broader enemy organization or mastermind is arranging repeated attacks.

Character Interactions

• Chen Changan questions the group about what they have sensed, revealing the strange difference between their perceptions.
• He reassures and warns everyone to remain vigilant, especially because the observers have not yet attacked.
• After the others begin cultivating, Chen Changan directly challenges the hidden enemies, attempting to force them into revealing themselves.
• The Blood Nether Clan taunts Chen Changan and explains its plan to corrode his body, while Chen Changan responds with confidence and immediately attacks.
• Chen Changan interrogates the final surviving clan member for information before executing him.
• The chapter ends with Chen Changan reflecting that the ambush is likely only the beginning of further, increasingly desperate attacks.

Chapter Summary: People of Primordial Heaven

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan and his companions focus on breaking through to the Mid Hongmeng Dominion Realm, recognizing that this level is necessary to continue along the Ascension Road and face the trials ahead.
• Guan Ao is the first to break through because he was already near the threshold. Rather than becoming complacent, he continues cultivating while waiting for the others.
• Once the entire group reaches the Mid Hongmeng Dominion Realm, they resume their journey. The mysterious sensation of being watched also disappears, possibly because their increased strength discourages whoever—or whatever—had been observing them.
• The group reaches the next trial, which is not another arena but a mysterious city called Ascension City. The city blocks their senses from the outside, making it impossible to perceive what lies within.
• After entering, they find the city small, quiet, and seemingly deserted. They eventually encounter a solitary man who recognizes them as people from Primordial Heaven.
• The man reveals that he arrived in Ascension City roughly several million years ago. Despite once being a supreme genius, he has been unable to pass the city’s trial or advance to the Late Hongmeng Dominion Realm.
• The group discovers that their rapid progress—reaching the city in under three hundred years and breaking through with relative ease—is extraordinarily unusual.
• Guan Ao identifies the man as Proud Lord, a legendary expert who disappeared from Primordial Heaven long ago. Proud Lord invites them to his residence to explain Ascension City and its trials.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan remains calm and enigmatic. He hints that he may have secretly cultivated despite acting as the group’s Protector, but refuses to explain himself.
• Guan Ao demonstrates both rapid cultivation progress and humility. He continues cultivating after breaking through and later recognizes Proud Lord, revealing his familiarity with the legends of Primordial Heaven.
• Da Huang remains curious and perceptive, questioning Chen Changan about the vanished sense of surveillance and suspecting that Chen Changan has concealed something from the group.
• Proud Lord is introduced as a once-unmatched genius whose confidence was shattered by the Ascension Road. His immense time spent trapped in Ascension City highlights the difficulty of the path and contrasts sharply with the protagonists’ progress.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus circumstance: Proud Lord’s failure shows that even supreme talent from Primordial Heaven may be insufficient in the Ascension Road’s higher realms.
• Rapid advancement and hidden potential: Chen Changan and his companions progress far faster than expected, suggesting that their abilities—or Chen Changan’s influence—are extraordinary.
• The limits of knowledge: Ascension City conceals its contents and rules, emphasizing that the group must gather information before proceeding.
• Humility before greater challenges: Proud Lord’s experience demonstrates that past greatness offers no guarantee of success in a new environment.
• Generational change: Proud Lord reflects on how new talents have surpassed the standards of his era, represented by Chen Changan’s group.

Character Interactions

• Da Huang questions Chen Changan about the disappearance of the watching presence and his unexplained cultivation.
• Chen Changan and the others discuss whether their breakthroughs were difficult, revealing that they experienced advancement as almost effortless.
• Proud Lord reacts with disbelief to their speed and calls them an entire group of “monsters.”
• Guan Ao and Proud Lord connect through their shared origins in Primordial Heaven. Guan Ao admits he once sought Proud Lord as a rival, while Proud Lord is pleased that someone still remembers his reputation.
• Proud Lord offers hospitality and guidance, creating a new alliance and setting up the group’s exploration of Ascension City’s next trial.

Chapter Summary: “Three-Gate Trial Again?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan, Da Huang, and Mu Yunyao visit Proud Lord’s simple residence in Ascension City.
• Proud Lord explains that cultivators care more about cultivation than luxurious living, and that residents must build their own homes.
• He reveals that his failure to advance in cultivation is connected to Ascension City’s Three-Gate Trial. Repeated failures at the second gate created an inner demon and caused his cultivation to stagnate.
• The trial consists of:
  1. Life and Death — survival is required to pass.
  2. Control — achieving control over everything.
  3. Transcendence — a gate Proud Lord has never reached and therefore cannot explain.
• Chen Changan is shocked because he previously experienced another Three-Gate Trial involving three lifetimes. He begins to suspect that the trial arranged by his father may have been connected to Ascension Road.
• Proud Lord explains that those who pass the trial may enter certain buildings in Ascension City and select extraordinary treasures, though the rewards depend on luck.
• Ascension City contains several other stranded cultivators, including six or seven from Primordial Heaven. Others may be exiles from Ultimate Heaven who were cast down because they lacked the strength to survive there.
• After resting for three days, Chen Changan and his companions follow Proud Lord to the first trial site, Life-and-Death Pass.
• The Primordial Heaven cultivators welcome the newcomers as fellow countrymen, though an unidentified person insults them as “country bumpkins.”

Character Developments

• Chen Changan becomes increasingly suspicious that his earlier Three-Gate Trial had a larger purpose connected to Ascension Road. His curiosity and concern deepen as he compares the two trials.
• Proud Lord is shown to be humble and practical, preferring a simple home. However, his repeated failure at the Control gate has damaged his confidence and created an inner demon, leaving him trapped in Ascension City for years.
• Da Huang provides blunt, curious questions, especially about Proud Lord’s residence and the unfamiliar trial gates.
• Mu Yunyao recognizes similarities between Chen Changan’s former trial and Proud Lord’s Three-Gate Trial, helping draw attention to the possible connection.
• The cultivators from Primordial Heaven display immediate solidarity with Chen Changan’s group, treating them as fellow outsiders in Ascension City.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation versus external possessions: Proud Lord’s simple residence reflects the belief that material comfort is meaningless without breakthroughs in cultivation.
• Failure and inner demons: Proud Lord’s inability to pass the Control gate has transformed repeated failure into psychological and spiritual obstruction.
• Mystery and hidden purpose: The recurrence of the Three-Gate Trial suggests that Chen Changan’s past experiences may have been part of a larger design.
• Exile and belonging: Ascension City appears to be both a refuge and a place of confinement for cultivators from different realms, while shared origins create bonds among those from Primordial Heaven.
• Control and transcendence: The unexplained second and third gates introduce questions about the limits of power, self-mastery, and advancement beyond ordinary cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Chen Changan and Da Huang question Proud Lord about his home, cultivation, and the trial.
• Proud Lord openly shares his history, including his failures and the inner demon caused by them.
• Chen Changan and Mu Yunyao compare Proud Lord’s trial with Chen Changan’s previous Three-Gate Trial.
• Proud Lord explains Ascension City’s hidden buildings, treasures, and inhabitants, giving the group a broader understanding of their new environment.
• At Life-and-Death Pass, the Primordial Heaven cultivators warmly greet Chen Changan’s group, while another cultivator’s contemptuous remark hints at possible tension between factions.

Chapter Summary: The Exiled Trash

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan and his group arrive at Ascension City and are mocked by a large group of people from Ultimate Heaven.
• Chen Changan retaliates by calling them “exiled trash,” inadvertently confirming rumors that these arrogant individuals were banished from Ultimate Heaven.
• The exiles boast that, despite being failures in Ultimate Heaven, their origins give them a natural advantage over people from Primordial Heaven. They claim Ultimate Heaven is so dangerous that even reaching it would not guarantee survival for Chen Changan’s group.
• Chen Changan rejects their intimidation, arguing that danger only challenges the weak and can become enjoyable for the truly powerful.
• Provoked by the exchange, Chen Changan, Mu Yunyao, and the others decide to enter the first Ascension City trial, the Life-and-Death Pass, to test its difficulty.
• Proud Lord explains that each participant will enter a separate space, receive a new identity, and face different troubles. Although they remain themselves, they must resolve the challenges associated with their assigned identities.
• The chapter ends with Proud Lord warning everyone that, regardless of their identity or circumstances, their first priority must be to stay alive.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan demonstrates his confidence, sharp tongue, and refusal to submit to intimidation. He openly challenges the exiles and treats the supposedly terrifying trial as an opportunity for amusement.
• Proud Lord acts as an experienced guide. Though he has been psychologically affected by the rapid progress of the exiles, he puts those feelings aside to advise Chen Changan’s group.
• Mu Yunyao matches Chen Changan’s confidence and enthusiastically agrees to participate in the trial.
• Da Huang remains boastful and humorous, joking that he might receive an exalted identity—or perhaps be reduced to a stray dog. He also accepts the teasing title of “the number one whoremonger of all heavens” without embarrassment.
• Guan Ao and Wang Ba contribute to the group’s lighthearted banter but, along with the others, recognize the seriousness of the upcoming trial.

Significant Themes

• Pride and origins: The exiles use their Ultimate Heaven heritage to claim superiority, while Chen Changan challenges the idea that one’s origin determines one’s future.
• Strength versus reputation: Ultimate Heaven is portrayed as terrifying, but Chen Changan argues that its danger matters only to those who lack sufficient power.
• Exile and inferiority: The exiles’ arrogance masks their own failure in Ultimate Heaven, suggesting that humiliation and insecurity fuel their contempt for others.
• Survival and adaptability: The Life-and-Death Pass will test the characters’ ability to adapt to unfamiliar identities and situations. Survival is emphasized as more important than status or confidence.
• Humor amid danger: The group uses teasing and banter to maintain morale, balancing the serious threat of the trial with their camaraderie.

Character Interactions

• Chen Changan verbally clashes with the Ultimate Heaven exiles, exposing their origins and provoking their anger.
• Proud Lord explains the exiles’ background and warns Chen Changan about the difficulty of Ultimate Heaven before guiding the group to the trial entrance.
• Chen Changan and Mu Yunyao mutually encourage one another to take the Life-and-Death Pass.
• Mu Yunyao teases Da Huang about possibly receiving the identity of a stray dog, prompting him to boast about his Qilin nature and imagined greatness.
• Guan Ao and Wang Ba mock Da Huang’s self-image, but Da Huang confidently embraces their criticism, reinforcing the group’s playful dynamic.

Chapter Summary: “Life-and-Death Pass”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Before entering the first trial, Guan Ao and Wang Ba warn Chen Changan that the Three Passes are dangerous and mock his confidence. Chen Changan and his companions ignore the provocations, choosing to let their results speak for them.
• Chen Changan enters the first trial and finds himself transported into an independent small world created for the Three Passes.
• He immediately encounters an angry crowd accusing him of betraying his master and exterminating his ancestors. They demand that he take his own life or face punishment.
• Rather than accept the accusations, Chen Changan questions the crowd’s evidence and challenges their claims of acting in the name of justice.
• A surviving junior brother from Chen Changan’s supposed former Holy Land steps forward. He claims that Chen Changan destroyed the entire Holy Land, killing their master, ancestor, and fellow disciples, and asks why his senior brother became so heartless.
• Chen Changan pieces together the trial’s setup: he has been assigned the identity of a powerful Holy Land disciple whose organization was destroyed, leaving only him and his junior brother alive.
• Chen Changan argues that the junior brother is equally suspicious. If Chen Changan truly intended to eliminate all witnesses, he asks why the junior brother was spared. He also points out that no clear motive has been established.
• The junior brother hints that he knows the reason for the massacre but claims he is reluctant to reveal it, seemingly trying to protect Chen Changan from further disgrace.
• Chen Changan dismisses this as hypocrisy, noting that the junior brother has already branded him a monstrous criminal while pretending to be concerned for him.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan: Demonstrates composure, sharp reasoning, and confidence under immediate suspicion. Instead of panicking or defending himself emotionally, he analyzes the situation, challenges the evidence, and identifies contradictions in the accusations. His ruthless personality is also emphasized when he remarks that he would never leave witnesses alive if he had truly committed such a crime.
• Guan Ao and Wang Ba: Shift from playful mockery to seriousness when discussing the trial, suggesting that they understand its dangers despite their earlier teasing.
• The Junior Brother: Presents himself as grief-stricken, loyal, and morally upright, but his behavior also appears calculated. He accuses Chen Changan while implying that he still wants to protect him, creating an image of hypocrisy in Chen Changan’s eyes.
• The Crowd: Acts as an emotionally driven mob, accepting the accusation largely because Chen Changan was powerful enough to commit the crime. Their certainty begins to weaken when Chen Changan points out the absence of evidence and motive.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus mob judgment: The crowd claims to represent justice but is prepared to condemn Chen Changan without clear proof.
• Truth and evidence: Chen Changan repeatedly demands concrete evidence rather than accepting rumor, emotional testimony, or moral posturing.
• Appearance versus reality: The junior brother appears loyal and sorrowful, yet Chen Changan suspects that this image conceals ulterior motives.
• Burden of proof and suspicion: Because Chen Changan possesses great power, others assume he is guilty, showing how reputation and capability can replace actual evidence.
• Psychological trials: The first pass appears designed not merely to test strength but to trap participants in morally ambiguous situations and provoke emotional reactions.

Character Interactions

• Guan Ao and Wang Ba taunt Chen Changan before the trial, predicting that he will quickly experience death.
• The angry crowd confronts Chen Changan collectively, demanding his suicide and condemning him as an enemy of both humanity and Heaven.
• Chen Changan verbally challenges the crowd, exposing the lack of direct evidence and questioning the supposed witness.
• The junior brother confronts Chen Changan with grief and betrayal, asking why he destroyed their Holy Land despite the trust placed in him.
• Chen Changan counters by accusing the junior brother of possibly being the real culprit and manipulating public opinion to shift the blame.
• Their exchange establishes the central conflict of the trial: whether Chen Changan will be judged by appearances and emotional testimony or uncover the truth behind the Holy Land’s destruction.

Chapter Summary: “Is This a Reflection of Himself?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan’s “junior brother” publicly reveals a shocking accusation: Sin Blood flows through Chen Changan’s veins.
• The revelation causes the surrounding cultivators to turn against Chen Changan. They assume he is the son of a notorious figure who once tried to destroy or overturn the world.
• The crowd claims Chen Changan inherited his father’s evil nature and that he destroyed the Holy Land both to conceal his identity and to seek revenge.
• Chen Changan denies knowing anything about this supposed father or the Sin Blood and recognizes that the accusations are likely part of the trial’s constructed identity and narrative.
• He suspects the trial may be attempting to make him question his loyalty, awaken his conscience, or turn against the “villainous” father he has been assigned.
• When the group attacks him, Chen Changan discovers that all of his opponents are in the Hongmeng Dominion Realm. However, because he has advanced to the Mid Hongmeng Dominion Realm, he holds an overwhelming advantage.
• Armed with the Red Dust Sword, Chen Changan rapidly shifts from being pressured in the earlier battle to slaughtering his attackers.
• The enemies panic, speculate that Chen Changan’s father left him a hidden power or secret, and insist that he must be killed “for the sake of the world.”
• Chen Changan recognizes their righteous rhetoric as hypocrisy and kills them without hesitation, pursuing even those who attempt to flee.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan: Becomes increasingly detached from the trial’s moral framing. Rather than questioning the accusations, he treats the world as a survival game and focuses only on remaining alive. His breakthrough to the Mid Hongmeng Dominion Realm reveals a dramatic increase in power, and he confidently dominates the battle.
• The junior brother: Presents himself as a sorrowful, conflicted figure torn between loyalty and righteousness, but Chen Changan sees through this performance and identifies him as the person most eager to kill him.
• The surrounding cultivators: Their attitude changes from anger over the Holy Land’s destruction to outright murderous hostility once they hear about Chen Changan’s supposed Sin Blood. Their fear and hypocrisy become evident when they justify their attack with grand claims about protecting the world.

Significant Themes

• Inherited guilt and identity: The chapter questions whether a person should be condemned for the crimes supposedly committed by their bloodline.
• Manipulation through fabricated identity: The trial appears to impose a dramatic backstory on Chen Changan, possibly testing whether he will accept, reject, or morally react to it.
• Hypocrisy disguised as righteousness: The attackers claim to act for justice and the world’s protection, while their true goal is simply to kill Chen Changan and obtain whatever secret power he possesses.
• Survival over morality: Chen Changan refuses to engage with the trial’s moral arguments, viewing the situation pragmatically: only the survivor can be considered successful.
• Reflection of the self: The accusations against Chen Changan’s father seem deliberately similar to questions surrounding Chen Changan himself, hinting that the trial may be forcing him to confront—or reflect on—his own nature.

Character Interactions

• The junior brother confronts Chen Changan with accusations of Sin Blood and attempts to justify his betrayal as loyalty to the Holy Land.
• Chen Changan challenges the junior brother’s feigned sorrow, accusing him of hiding personal motives behind claims of loyalty and righteousness.
• The crowd collectively condemns Chen Changan as the son of a world-destroying criminal, while Chen Changan rejects their assumptions.
• During the battle, the attackers’ confidence turns into panic as Chen Changan’s strength overwhelms them.
• Chen Changan taunts the fleeing enemies, insisting that since they came to kill him, none of them will be allowed to leave alive.

Chapter Summary: “A Different Life-and-Death Pass”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan rejects his enemies’ pleas for mercy. Though they warn him about the consequences of killing them, he insists that survival is his only concern and continues slaughtering everyone who attacked him.
• During the battle, Chen Changan notices that the mysterious “junior brother” has vanished from his perception. This makes him question whether the trial is truly a straightforward test of life and death.
• After killing all his attackers, Chen Changan discovers that he still cannot leave the trial realm. He concludes that either he must kill everyone in the world or uncover the hidden truth behind the trial and his new identity.
• Outside the trial, Mu Yunyao, Da Huang, Guan Ao, and the others successfully complete the Life-and-Death Pass. They are surprised that Chen Changan has not yet returned, since he is normally the quickest to clear such challenges.
• Da Huang mocks the Primordial Heaven participants, who had previously looked down on them. His taunts provoke several of them into entering the trial themselves to prove their ability.
• Meanwhile, Chen Changan explores the unfamiliar world without guidance or memories of his assumed identity. He suspects the trial may have been specially altered or arranged for him rather than functioning as a normal Life-and-Death Pass.
• He eventually senses several hundred people approaching and is pleased that he no longer has to search aimlessly. The group surrounds him, condemns him for killing others, and labels him as a sinner with “Sin Blood.”
• The attackers reveal that they are only there to restrain him while a stronger figure prepares to arrive. Chen Changan remains calm and challenges them to bring out their hidden ally, threatening to kill them if he grows impatient.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan: Becomes increasingly suspicious of the trial’s unusual nature. His confidence and ruthlessness remain unchanged, but he shifts from simply fighting to investigating the mystery surrounding his identity, the vanished junior brother, and the altered trial.
• Da Huang: Displays his usual arrogance and loyalty toward Chen Changan. He eagerly defends their group’s accomplishments and provokes their rivals, even dragging Guan Ao into his taunts.
• Mu Yunyao: Acts as a calm and reassuring presence, trusting that Chen Changan will eventually pass the trial despite his unexplained absence.
• Guan Ao: Shows irritation at Da Huang’s teasing and attempts to distance himself from the mockery, though he remains part of the group’s successful trial completion.
• Primordial Heaven participants: Their initial contempt turns into embarrassment and defensiveness after Mu Yunyao’s group passes the trial immediately. Several are pressured into participating to protect their pride.

Significant Themes

• Survival versus morality: Chen Changan refuses to feel responsible for the consequences of killing those who intended to kill him, emphasizing self-preservation over conventional morality.
• Power and intimidation: Both Chen Changan and Da Huang use overwhelming confidence to unsettle their opponents. The enemies rely on numbers and the promise of a stronger expert, while Chen Changan remains fearless.
• Identity and hidden truth: Chen Changan’s lack of memories regarding his new identity suggests that the trial contains a deeper mystery beyond combat.
• Unfair or manipulated trials: The Life-and-Death Pass appears to behave differently for Chen Changan, raising the possibility that it has been altered or designed specifically around him.
• Pride and rivalry: Da Huang’s taunts expose the wounded pride of the Primordial Heaven group, whose decision to enter the trial is driven largely by humiliation and the desire to prove themselves.

Character Interactions

• Chen Changan dismisses his attackers’ warnings and makes clear that he will not spare anyone who threatens his life.
• Mu Yunyao reassures Da Huang that Chen Changan will pass, while Da Huang remains troubled by the delay.
• Da Huang mocks Guan Ao and the Primordial Heaven group, leading several rivals to accept his challenge and enter the trial.
• The new group surrounding Chen Changan attempts to condemn and intimidate him, invoking his “Sin Blood” and the supposed consequences of his crimes.
• Chen Changan turns their intimidation against them, calmly threatening to kill them while waiting for the more powerful enemy they claim is coming.

Chapter Summary: “Come Here, Then Kill Them All”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A mysterious figure arrives, and Chen Changan feels an unexplained familiarity with him. The surrounding people clearly fear and respect the newcomer.
• The man reveals himself as Feng Xianxing, someone who had survived a previous confrontation with Chen Changan. He boasts that their positions have now been reversed and that Chen Changan is about to die.
• Chen Changan genuinely does not recognize Feng Xianxing, deeply humiliating and enraging him. Feng Xianxing attacks, but Chen Changan kills him instantly.
• Shocked observers realize that Chen Changan’s strength has reached an overwhelming level. Chen Changan then kills the remaining enemies, refusing to let any of them escape.
• Afterward, another figure applauds and reveals himself as Chen Changan’s former junior brother. He admits that he had deceived the Sacred Land, destroyed it, and framed Chen Changan as the culprit.
• The junior brother also confirms that he is the true bearer of the Sinblood and that he deliberately lured Chen Changan away during the Sacred Land’s destruction.
• He is surprised by Chen Changan’s power, especially his physical body, which is far stronger than the original Chen Changan’s. Realizing that the person before him may not truly be the Chen Changan he once knew, he questions his identity.
• Chen Changan refuses to explain himself and kills his junior brother with a single sword strike, hoping that doing so will finally allow him to leave the world or trial.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan: Demonstrates overwhelming strength, confidence, and impatience. His lack of the original body’s memories becomes increasingly important, and his extraordinary physical power confirms that he is fundamentally different from the former Chen Changan.
• Feng Xianxing: Appears arrogant and vengeful, believing that a past opportunity has made him powerful enough to defeat Chen Changan. His confidence collapses when Chen Changan kills him instantly.
• Chen Changan’s Junior Brother: Revealed as the true mastermind behind the Sacred Land’s destruction and Chen Changan’s framing. Though highly powerful and initially confident, he becomes unsettled when he realizes Chen Changan’s body and abilities do not match his memories.

Significant Themes

• Identity and transformation: The chapter emphasizes that Chen Changan is no longer the person others remember, raising questions about his true identity and the relationship between body, memory, and self.
• Revenge versus insignificance: Feng Xianxing’s desire for recognition and revenge is undermined when Chen Changan cannot even remember him.
• Hidden strength and deception: Several characters have concealed their abilities or true identities, but Chen Changan’s hidden power surpasses all their expectations.
• Justice and retribution: The people responsible for the Sacred Land’s destruction and Chen Changan’s persecution are punished decisively.
• Impatience with the trial: Chen Changan views the conflict as an obstacle delaying his departure, making his actions direct and ruthless.

Character Interactions

• Feng Xianxing confronts Chen Changan with arrogance, but Chen Changan’s sincere failure to recognize him provokes humiliation and fury.
• Chen Changan and the surrounding enemies have a one-sided confrontation, with Chen Changan effortlessly killing them all.
• The junior brother engages Chen Changan in a more serious battle and recognizes that his physical strength is fundamentally abnormal.
• Their exchange exposes the junior brother’s betrayal and Chen Changan’s altered identity before Chen Changan ends the confrontation with a single sword strike.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan successfully completes the Life-and-Death Pass after killing his opponent. Although he experienced several months inside the trial, only five days passed outside.
• Mu Yunyao and the others reveal that their trials lasted less than a day and involved being hunted before defeating their pursuers.
• The group returns to Proud Lord’s residence, ignoring the arrogant exiles from Ultimate Heaven who failed their first attempts at the trial.
• Proud Lord explains that Ascension City has few rules, fighting is not expressly forbidden, and its administrators are mysterious figures rarely seen except by successful trial-takers.
• The group discusses the upcoming second trial, “Dominion.” Proud Lord describes it as a blank white space with nothing to conquer, making it difficult to understand what the trial demands.
• Chen Changan theorizes that the trial tests comprehension and mental resilience rather than physical strength. The group decides to rest before entering it.
• The next day, the Ultimate Heaven exiles confront Chen Changan over Da Huang’s insults. They claim their presence on the Ascension Road was a choice, not an exile, and boast about the powerful beings supporting them.
• Chen Changan challenges their assumption that he has no powerful connections. Da Huang mentions “Chen Ao,” but the exiles have never heard of him and dismiss the name as fabricated or insignificant.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan demonstrates his success in the Life-and-Death Pass and remains calm, confident, and dismissive toward those who provoke him. He begins analyzing the deeper meaning of the Dominion trial.
• Mu Yunyao and the others continue to function as a united group, sharing information and seriously considering Chen Changan’s interpretation of the next trial.
• Da Huang remains deliberately provocative, openly mocking the Ultimate Heaven exiles and escalating the confrontation.
• Proud Lord becomes more cooperative and grateful toward Chen Changan, admitting that Chen’s actions allowed the people of Primordial Heaven to vent their longstanding resentment. He also reveals his ignorance and frustration regarding the Dominion trial.
• The Ultimate Heaven exiles are shown to be arrogant and status-conscious. After failing the first trial, they rely on their supposed backgrounds and connections to intimidate Chen Changan.

Significant Themes

• Different standards of strength and status: The exiles rely on their origins and powerful backers, while Chen Changan questions whether such status has real meaning.
• The nature of comprehension: The Dominion trial suggests that advancement may depend on understanding an abstract concept rather than defeating an enemy.
• Mental endurance and self-mastery: The empty white trial space may test patience, clarity, and the ability to resist psychological pressure.
• Arrogance versus true power: The exiles’ confidence comes from what they believe they know, while Chen Changan implies that truly powerful beings may be beyond their awareness.
• Mystery and hidden hierarchies: The administrators of Ascension City and the identity of Chen Ao hint at deeper forces and levels of power unknown to the current characters.

Character Interactions

• Mu Yunyao questions Chen Changan about his unusually long trial, leading to the revelation that time flows differently inside.
• Chen Changan and Proud Lord discuss the rules of Ascension City and the meaning of the Dominion trial.
• Da Huang repeatedly antagonizes the Ultimate Heaven exiles, prompting their confrontation with Chen Changan.
• Chen Changan counters the exiles’ threats with sarcasm and confidence, suggesting that he may possess connections even greater than theirs.
• The chapter ends with the exiles dismissing the name Chen Ao, unaware that their ignorance may reflect their lack of qualification rather than the person’s insignificance.

Chapter Summary: “Second Trial”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A group of cultivators confronts Chen Changan and demands that he apologize for previously defeating or offending them. They rely on their connections to Primordial Heaven, believing those connections give them authority on the Ascension Road.
• Chen Changan and Da Huang mock their childish behavior, comparing them to people who lose a fight and run to their parents for help.
• When one of the cultivators attempts to attack, Chen Changan defeats him instantly with a single punch. Terrified by the overwhelming difference in strength, the entire group retreats.
• Afterward, Chen Changan explains that although these people possess Hongmeng Dominion Realm cultivation, they are immature, insecure, and inexperienced. Their arrogance is largely a mask for the humiliation of having been exiled.
• Proud Lord is shocked that Chen Changan can effortlessly defeat an opponent in the middle stage of the Hongmeng Dominion Realm, especially one close to advancing to the late stage.
• The group learns that the defeated cultivator is trapped in the second of the Three Trials. While many can pass the first trial, the second requires comprehension and control rather than raw strength.
• Chen Changan and his companions proceed directly to the second trial. The trial takes place in a vast, empty white space that gradually causes irritation and restlessness.
• Chen Changan enters a calm state and attempts to understand the true meaning of “control.” He and the others remain inside for an entire month.
• Other cultivators gather outside, discussing whether Chen Changan can pass on his first attempt. Although they acknowledge his strength, they are uncertain whether it will help with a trial based on comprehension.
• The chapter ends when Chen Changan suddenly reappears before the waiting crowd, suggesting that he may have successfully completed the second trial.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan demonstrates overwhelming physical power, defeating a Hongmeng Dominion Realm cultivator with one punch. More importantly, he shows insight into the defeated group’s psychology, recognizing that their arrogance stems from insecurity, exile, and immaturity.
• Da Huang continues to provide comic relief by openly ridiculing the group’s childish dependence on powerful backers.
• Guan Ao revises his opinion of the Hongmeng Dominion Realm, realizing that a powerful realm does not guarantee that every cultivator within it is impressive.
• Proud Lord becomes increasingly astonished by Chen Changan’s abilities and acknowledges that Chen Changan’s strength far exceeds ordinary expectations.
• The exiled cultivators are revealed to be emotionally immature despite their high cultivation. Their confidence collapses as soon as Chen Changan displays his true power.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus maturity: High cultivation does not necessarily indicate courage, wisdom, or emotional maturity.
• Insecurity behind arrogance: The exiled cultivators use pride and threats to conceal their humiliation and sense of inferiority.
• Individual ability versus reputation: Chen Changan emphasizes that a powerful realm should not be judged by the weakness of a few individuals.
• Comprehension over brute force: The second trial shifts the focus from combat ability to mental discipline, insight, and control.
• Calmness and self-mastery: The empty white space tests the participants’ ability to remain composed despite boredom, irritation, and psychological pressure.

Character Interactions

• Chen Changan dismisses the group’s demand for an apology, while Da Huang taunts them for relying on their “parents” and acting like children.
• When the group attacks, Chen Changan decisively humiliates them, forcing them to retreat.
• Chen Changan and his companions discuss the psychological flaws of the exiled cultivators, agreeing that their arrogance is rooted in insecurity.
• Proud Lord questions Chen Changan about his astonishing strength, leading to an explanation of why the defeated cultivator remained trapped in Ascension City.
• Outside the second trial, the waiting cultivators discuss Chen Changan’s chances of success and hope he will provide insights that can help them overcome the trial themselves.

Chapter Summary: “Mastering Oneself”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Changan emerges from the second trial and reveals that he has successfully passed it after just over a month.
• He explains that the trial’s true meaning of “mastery” is not controlling the external world, but achieving control over oneself.
• Chen identifies emotions, desires, impulses, and the seven feelings and six desires as forces that must be understood and mastered. However, he questions whether complete self-control could make someone less human.
• Mu Yunyao, Da Huang, and most of the others later pass the trial, while Wang Ba and Guan Ao initially fail to grasp its essence.
• After hearing Chen’s explanation, Wang Ba and Guan Ao immediately re-enter the trial and succeed within a few days.
• The group returns to Proud Lord’s home while the remaining participants continue attempting the trial.
• Da Huang discusses the possibility of leaving Ascension Road and reaching Ultimate Heaven, though his main concern is whether Ultimate Heaven will have more enjoyable brothels.
• Chen becomes suspicious that the unseen administrators of Ascension City may have hidden motives or identities.

Character Developments

• Chen Changan demonstrates rapid comprehension and a deeper philosophical understanding of the trial. He also begins to pay closer attention to the mysteries surrounding Ascension City.
• Wang Ba and Guan Ao initially feel discouraged by their failure, but Chen reassures them. His guidance restores their confidence, allowing them to pass quickly on their second attempt.
• Mu Yunyao shows practical wisdom and emotional insight. She offers several reasonable explanations for the administrators’ absence and helps temper Chen’s suspicions.
• Da Huang remains impatient and pleasure-seeking, particularly eager to leave Ascension Road because of its lack of brothels. His comic behavior contrasts with the group’s serious cultivation goals.
• Proud Lord and the others treat Chen as a trusted source of insight, relying on his explanation to understand the trial.

Significant Themes

• Self-mastery versus external control: True mastery begins with controlling one’s own emotions, desires, and impulses rather than controlling the world.
• Humanity and emotional freedom: Chen questions whether absolute self-control could strip a person of their humanity by making them emotionally numb.
• Guidance and perseverance: Failure is presented as temporary. Understanding the correct principle and refusing to give up enable Wang Ba and Guan Ao to succeed.
• Patience and anticipation: Chen argues that delayed gratification can make future pleasure more meaningful, though Da Huang finds this difficult to accept.
• Mystery and suspicion: The absent administrators of Ascension City remain an unresolved source of unease, suggesting that the city may conceal important secrets.

Character Interactions

• Proud Lord and the others eagerly question Chen about the trial, treating him with admiration.
• Chen openly teaches the group his understanding, emphasizing that comprehension still depends on individual ability.
• He encourages Wang Ba and Guan Ao not to doubt themselves after they fail, directly motivating their successful return to the trial.
• Da Huang and Wang Ba exchange insults in a humorous misunderstanding, while Guan Ao labels Da Huang’s behavior as “rabid-dog disease.”
• Mu Yunyao speaks privately with Chen and recognizes that he is troubled by the administrators’ disappearance. Their conversation highlights her rational perspective and Chen’s growing concern about Ascension City.